Shameless self-promotion

Although the official release date for my book is just over a week away —  November 26^th — copies of And Sometimes They Kill You are showing up on bookstore shelves, in newspaper articles, on television and in people’s hands. It’s all very thrilling, I have to admit.

I’ve sold books at two conferences so far, and reception has been positive. Next week, I’m flying to Timmins, where I’ll be speaking at a conference, selling books during the lunch break and then speaking (and selling) at an evening launch event at the Timmins Public Library. The following week, the tour begins in earnest, with 14 events in 14 communities across the province in just over two weeks. I’ll be leaving home with my car heavy with books and hoping to return with a much lighter load. I seem to have turned into a professional saleswoman more or less overnight.

It might not rival Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in either the number of events or the size of the crowds – and I don’t have any merch other than my book– but for a 70-year-old woman hawking a book about intimate partner violence, it’s not too shabby. You can find information about when I’ll be where on my website. if I’m not coming to where you live and you would like me to, send me an email and I’ll see what I can do.

Signs of progress

It’s a great time for me to be talking about intimate partner violence. November 25^th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and marks the start of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

Many of my book events coincide with activities related to the days of activism, where I am being asked to talk about what people can do to make their communities safer places for everyone, including women and children. Interest in having intimate partner violence declared an epidemic by the province remains high, but people also want to talk about what comes next.

I am inspired by the ongoing passion people have to see the recommendations from the CKW inquest implemented and, in a spirit of optimism, I’ve made a bit of a checklist of what’s been accomplished since the jury returned its verdict. Here’s a summary of what things look like – if you want the whole story, you’ll have to find your way to one of my events.

Almost 100 municipalities have declared IPV to be an epidemic. Many of them have committed to including gender-based violence in their community safety and well-being plans. Some are working on finding ways to better support the work of VAW coordinating committees.

Bill 173, which would declare IPV to be an epidemic across Ontario, is before the provincial legislature. Whether or not it is passed into law, the Bill is a good thing. It has people all across the province talking about IPV, which is raising public awareness.

Some police forces have made the decision to name IPV  – including femicide — in cases they are investigating, rather than beating around the bush with statements like “There is no threat to public safety.”

The Coroner’s Office has taken steps to increase the transparency and diversity of the DVDRC, which now has an expanded mandate and scope, as recommended by the inquest jury.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner has released its plain language tool to assist professionals in sharing information in IPV situations.

A number of communities, usually through their coordinating committees, are in the process of strengthening their high risk teams/committees.

The United Way has issued a call for action on intimate partner violence in the form of a public letter to Premier Ford.

Inspiring activism

Have we solved the problem of intimate partner violence? Far from it. But I do think there are reasons to feel hopeful; to think we are in the right place at the right time to take some meaningful steps both to improve our responses to intimate partner violence and to eradicate it.

The promotional copy for And Sometimes They Kill You says, in part:

“Despite decades of activism by feminists and their allies, women and their children continue to be killed by their partners and former partners in shocking numbers . . . Why have we failed to respond effectively to a social problem that affects millions of women and children?”

As I write in the book’s Preface:

“My hope is that this book will appeal not only to people who are immersed in this work and those whose jobs may expose them to the issue of intimate partner violence, but also to survivors and their friends and families as well as to anyone who simply knows that intimate partner violence is something they want to end.

“Reading this book may make you angry, frustrated and sad, but let yourself also be inspired by the strength, determination and resiliency of the many women who have survived gender-based violence and those who have supported them. I hope you will be moved to join – in whatever way you can – the vital work of eradicating intimate partner violence. I want to persuade you that we need an all-of-society, revolutionary response to gender-based violence, which is – undeniably – an epidemic.”